William Maule, 1st Earl Panmure facts for kids
William Maule, 1st Earl Panmure (born 1700, died 1782) was a Scottish soldier and politician. He was a member of the British Parliament for 47 years, from 1735 until he passed away in 1782. He held the title of Earl Panmure, which was a special noble title in Ireland.
Early Life and Family
William Maule grew up in France. His father, Henry Maule, was the younger brother of James Maule, who was the 4th Earl of Panmure. William received his education in Europe, studying in Leyden in 1718 and at the Scots College in Paris in 1719.
His father and uncle had to leave Scotland and go to France after a rebellion in 1715. This rebellion, known as the Jacobite rising of 1715, was an attempt to put a different king on the throne.
Military Career
William Maule came back to Scotland in 1719 after a special pardon was given to many who had been involved in the rebellion. He joined the army in October 1727 as a low-ranking officer called an ensign.
He steadily rose through the ranks:
- In 1737, he became a captain in the 25th Foot regiment.
- By 1741, he was a captain and lieutenant-colonel in the 3rd Foot Guards.
- He was promoted to major in 1745, and then to colonel in the army in the same year.
- In 1747, he became the Colonel of the 25th Foot, and later moved to be Colonel of the 21st Foot in 1752.
William Maule continued to climb the military ladder, becoming a major-general in 1755 and a lieutenant-general in 1758. He reached the highest rank of full general on April 13, 1770. In November 1770, he was given command of the famous Royal Scots Greys regiment as their Colonel, a position he held until his death.
Estates and Titles
In 1742, William Maule bought Braikie Castle, which is located between the towns of Brechin and Arbroath in Scotland.
He also managed to buy back his family's main estate, Brechin Castle, in Forfar. In 1743, he was given several noble titles in the Peerage of Ireland: Baron Maule, Viscount Maule, and Earl Panmure. This was important because his uncle's earldom had been taken away in 1716 due to his involvement in the rebellion.
Political Life
William Maule was a very long-serving member of the British Parliament. He represented the area of Forfarshire (now known as Angus) from 1735 until 1782. This means he was a politician for 47 years!
Lord Panmure did not have any children of his own. When he passed away, his estates were divided between two relatives: his cousin George Ramsay, 8th Earl of Dalhousie, and George's second son, William.
Images for kids
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Brechin Castle, seat of the Maule Family
